US3051421A - Actuating mechanism for railway points - Google Patents

Description

1962 w. J. SIMONS ETAL 3,051,421

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY POINTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 amp //A Filed March 3, 1961 Aug. 28, 1962 w. J. L. SIMONS ETAL 3,051,421

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY POINTS Filed March 3, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1962 w. J. slMoNs ETA].

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY POINTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 3, 1961 mw ww wv Q Unite States 3,051,425 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 3,051,421 ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY POINTS Walford John Louis Simons, Brentford, and Gordon Joseph White, Greenford, England, assignors to Rotax Limited, London, England Filed Mar. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 93,095 Claims priority, application Great Britain Mar. 4, 1960 2 Claims. (Cl. 246401) The object of this invention is to provide actuating mechanism for railway points in a convenient form including means for locking the points in their alternative positions, and means whereby an indication can be given at a remote place that the points are set and locked at one or another of their alternative positions.

Actuating mechanism according to the invention comprises in combination a first slide adapted for connection to a movable rail of the points, a second slide movable transversely relative to the first slide, a projection on one of the slides engaging a slot in the other slide, said slot having a pair of laterally extending and oppositely directed end portions in which the projection is adapted to be accommodated respectively to lock the movable rail in its alternative position, a lever pivotally connected to said first slide and operatively engaging the second slide and actuating means connected to the lever, the arrangement being such that when the projection occupies one of said end portions of the slot, movement of the actuating means in the appropriate direction will through said lever, first move the second slide to disengage the projection from said one end portion then move to the first slide until the projection is opposite the other end portion of said slot, and finally move the second slide to engage the projection with said other end portion.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one example of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of another example of the invention,

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of part of FIGURE 2 to an enlarged scale,

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, and FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 3.

Referring first to the example illustrated in FIGURE 1 the free ends of the pair of switch rails of the points are interconnected by a tie-rod 11, and are pivotally connected respectively to a pair of separate slides 12 which form part of a pair of units respectively. The units are similar, and are mounted on a common sleeper 13 at the outer sides of the pair of fixed rails 14 respectively.

Each unit, in addition to the slide 12 which is movable in guides 15 transversely of the fixed rails 14, includes a second slide 16 (hereinafter termed the locking plate) which is slidable at right angles to the slide 12. In the locking plate 16 is formed a slot 17 in which is engaged a roller, pin or other projection 18 extending from the slide 12. The main or intermediate part of the slot 17 extends parallel to the slide 12, but at its ends are oppositely directed and laterally extending end portions which are at right angles to the main or intermediate part, and which are each adapted to accommodate the projection 18. Moreover, pivotally mounted at 19 on an arm extending laterally from the slide 12 is a bellcrank lever 20 having on one of its arms a roller, pin or other projection 21 which is engaged within a second slot 22 formed in the locking plate 16, this slot 22 extending parallel to the main portion of the slot 17.

The other arm of the bellcrank lever is connected by means of a rod or co-axial rods 23 with the complementary arm of the bellcrank lever 20 of the other unit, while to an intermediate point of this rod, or these rods 23 is connected a parallel actuating rod 24 movable axially by manual, fluid actuated, or electrical means 25.

The arrangement is such that when either projection 18 occupies a lateral end portion of the slot 17 in the locking plate, the associated switch rail 10 is locked in one or other of its alternative operative positions, and the other switch rail is locked in a similar manner in a complementary position. If, in this condition, the actuating rod 24 is moved axially in the appropriate direction, the first eifect will be to move the two bellcrank levers 2t) angularly in opposite directions, thereby moving the two locking plates 16 in opposite directions to cause the projections to occupy the main portions of the slots 17 (as seen in FIGURE 1). In this position further movement of the locking plates 16 is prevented, so that continued movement of the actuating rod 24 will result in the slides 12 being moved in the same direction, thus moving the movable rails 10 to their alternative positions. At these positions the projections 18 occupy the opposite ends of their respective slots 17, and continued movement of the actuating rod will result in further movement of the locking plates 16 until the projections are engaged with the opposite end portions of the slots, thereby locking the movable rails in their new positions.

In order to give an indication at a remote place of the position of the points, each unit incorporates two electric switches, 26, 27, one of which is closed when the associated switch rail 10 is in one operative position, and the other of which is closed when the switch rail 10 occupies the alternative operative position. The one electric switch of each unit is connected in series with the complementary electric switch (i.e. the switch having the same reference numeral) of the other unit in a separate indicator circuit. Also in each indicator circuit and in series with the aforesaid electric switches is a further electric switch (not shown) closable by the locking plate 16 when the points are in the locked position. Thus an indication that the points are in either operative position can only be given when both movable rails 10 are locked in this position.

In the example of this invention illustrated in FIG- URES 2 to 5 only one unit is employed, the parts of this unit which are similar to those in FIGURE 1 being given the same reference numerals with a sufiix. In this example the slide 12 is connected to the adjacent movable rail 10 which is in turn connected to the other movable rail 10 by a tie-rod 11 The slot 17 having the pair of laterally extending and oppositely directed end portions is formed in the slide 12*, and the projection 18 engaging this slot is on the locking plate which is formed as two parts 16 16 situated respectively above and below the slide and interconnected by the projection.

The upper part 16 of the locking plate is situated between the similar parallel and vertically spaced, parts 20 20 constituting the bellcrank lever which is pivoted at 19 on the slide 12. Furthermore, the upper part 16 of the locking plate incorporates a transversely extending slot 22 in which is accommodated a pin 21 interconnecting the two parts 20 20 of the bellcrank lever adjacent the end of its one arm, this pin 21 being surrounded by a square or other rectangular distance piece 30 slidable within the slot 22 Slots 31 31 are also formed in the parts 20 20 respectively of the bellcrank lever to accommodate movement of the projection 18 as will now be described.

Assume that the projection 18* is located in the lateral end portion at one end of the slot 17 in the slide and that a force is applied to the arm of the bellcrank lever remote from the pin 21 The first effect of this movement will be to cause the bell crank lever to move angu larly and thereby (through pin 21*) impart movement to the locking plate 16*, 16 until the projection 18 is disengaged from the lateral portion of the slot. Further angular movement of the bell" crank lever in the same direction is now arrested "so that continue'd force in the same direction will cause the slide12 'to move axially together with the bell crank lever until the projection 18 is opposite the lateral end portion at the other end of the slot 17 this movement is permitted since the pin 21* interconnecting the parts 20 20 of the bell crank lever is movable in the slot 22 in the locking lever. A continued force applied to the bell crank lever in the same direction" will now cause its further angular movement so as to move the lockingplate into a position to introduce the projection 18 -into the other lateral end portion of the slot, and thereby lock the points at the alternative setting.

For imparting the movements to' the bellcrank lever 20, 20 mounted between the arms of the two parts remote from the pin 21 is a nut 32 engaging screw shaft 33 heldfrom axial movement and rotatable by a reversible electric motor34 through reduction gearing 35, and an over load clutch 36.

In this modification the part 16 of the locking plate carries a member 37 which is adapted to operate one or other of two banks of electric switches 38, 39 when the switch rails are locked in one or other of its alternative positions respectively. Some of each of these banks of switches serve to control'the motor 34, others serve to actuate an indicator, for example, in a signal box, whilst others may serve to control a point and signal interlocking circuit.

In addition to the electric switches 38, 39, to each movable tip is connected one of a pair of rods 40, 41 with each of which is associated a'pair of switches 42, 43 respectively. Each switch 42 is connected in' series with one of the switches 43respectively and with an electric indicator lamp in a signal box, and the arrangement is such that when bothmovable rail tips are correctly located for one position of the point one lamp is illuminated, and when both switch rail tips are correctly located in the alternative position the other indicator lamp is illuminated.

The slide 12 is connected to the adjacent movable rail through theagency ofa pair of'pins 44 which will be sheared in the event of the relationship between the slide and the rails 10 being upset, as for example, by a train running through the points with the latter'incorrectly set. In order to ensure thatno correct indication will be given in the signal box after such a'happenin'g even though the slide 12* be again moved into'thecorrect relationship to the rails 10, a readily shearablecondu'ctor 45 is arranged in serieswith the switches 42, 43. The'conductor 45 is carried by a pair of relatively slidable parts 46, 47 connected respectively to the slide 12 'and-adjacent'rail 10 and has brushes 48 at its ends making contact with con ductor bars 49; When the pins 44 are-intact the parts 46,

47 will slide together as the setting of the points is is accompanied by movement ofthe rail, a second slide movable transversely relative to the first slide, one of the slides being provided with a projection, and'the other slide being provided with a slot which is slidablyengaged by the projection, and'which has a rectilinear main portion parallel with the direction of movement of the first slide, and'a pair of opposite end-portions which extendin opposite directions respectively from, and at right angles to, the main portion so that*when the projection is in engagement with-either of the said end portions of the slot the second slide serves to prevent movement of the first slide, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on the first slide, and having one end operatively connected to the second slide, and actuating means connected to the-otherend of the lever for imparting movement through the latter to'the first and second slides so that, when the first slide is held in either of its *extreme positions by the engagement'of the projection with one'of the said end portions of the slot, movement of'the actuating means inthe appropriate directionfirst causes the second slide to bemoved through the medium of the lever for effecting disengagement of 'the' projection from the lastmentioned end portion'of the slot, then causes the first slide to be moved through the medium of the lever-t0 its other ex-- treme position,:and finally'causes the second slide to be moved further through the medium of the lever -for effecting engagement of the projection with the other of the'said end portions of 'the slot.

2. Actuating'mechanism according to clai-m'l; and having in combination electric switches respectively operable by thesecond slide and the movablerail, an electric*cur-- rent conductor connected in series with the electric switches, a shearable pin through the medium of which the first slide is connectible to the movable rail, and means by which the conductor is supported, and through the medium of which the conductoris shearable at thesame time as the pin, the said means having a pair of relatively, movablefparts oneof -which'is connected to the first slide, and the other of which is connectible to the movable rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l,186, 834' Robinson June-l3, 1916 2,082,133 Wyant June" 1, 1937 2,490,742 Smith t Dec. 6,"1949 2,740,041 Marcu-m' Mar. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,402/86 Great Bri a n n uenee; 14 1886"

Images